Hustler Question

[ford1967]

I keep breaking the bolts on the center axel sprokets. I have been using grade 8 bolts and they last for a couple of short ez rides. Not driving crazy or anything all other sproket bolts are holding up fine. Any Ideas?

[fasteddiesllc]

for you to be breaking a garde 8 bolt you have to be getting something in a terrible, and I mean bad bind. you probably have a loud bang or pop when it happens...pull your back floorboard, replace the bolt, and drive it...monitor the sprocket as you drive, you will be able to look over your shoulder while touring and see what is going on....it could be possible for the sprocket to be bent and the chain wants to ride up on the teeth causing a bind that would do that...you can check that by jacking up that side and turning the wheel by hand while watching it..keep us posted...BTW, is the sprocket loose on the shaft after the bolt breaks? and by this what I mean is does it slide side to side pretty easy...it should spin with a broken bolt and have some side to side but not a lot of motion there

[ford1967]

Yes it axel is loose from the sproket when the bolt breaks. I do hear a loud bang or pop. I have driven it with the floor board out all appears ok. However I jacked it up and noticed the axel seems to have some play in it like maybe a bearing is going bad.

[fasteddiesllc]

chances are real good that while driving it is moving to a point that the chain becomes misaligned with the sproket ...it will actually try to climb upon the edge causing it to bind and break...after it breaks it probably slides back into line with the front and rear axle appearing to be right where it belongs....the best way to check this is to jack it up and see if you can pull the axle away from the body. this would indicate bad bearings, loose locking collars, or may even show something that we haven't consisdered....keep us posted and good luck

[brushcutter]

Are the holes wallowed out in the sprocket sleeves or axles or both? Excessive play allows a shearing force which can break bolts easily during direction changes.